Grit

Grit

Grit. “Courage and resolve; strength of character.”

Two years ago we provided Microfinance funding for Carmen, a hard-working and industrious woman from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Carmen, high-spirited woman living in extreme poverty, believed she could apply her business skills and an eye for clothing bargains to launch a used-clothing store. Her vision was to travel into the city and purchase or obtain donated clothing, launder and repair it, and then sell it in her little shop for a modest profit. Although it is hard to fathom, operating a business like this can mean the difference between being destitute, and survival for those in Carmen’s community.

At first, Carmen did well. Unfortunately, COVID-19 struck hard, reducing the number of customers visiting her shop. Then, she experienced a serious eye disease that resulted in her spending most of her profits on prescription medicine.

Carmen, displaying true “Grit” did not give up. She does not complain. She displays a good attitude. To help her get back on her feet, CareLink re-structured her loan and gave her a few months of loan forgiveness.

Now, Carmen is on a path to success!